the prominent doctor that not only claims he went to heaven, but says he can prove it. eben alexander almost died four years ago. now, he has his book, "proof of heaven." >> reporter: eben alexander is a healthy, 58-year-old harvard-trained neurosurgeon. an expert of science. did you go to heaven? >> yes. >> reporter: four years ago, alexander nearly died from a massive brain infection that plunged him into a coma and shut down nearly his entire mind. he was barely alive in this world. but he says he journeyed elsewhere. >> i was rescued by this beautiful, spinning white light that had a melody. indescribable beautiful melody, that opened up in a bright valley. >> reporter: he says god was there, and a vast presence of infinite love. he met a young woman, he says, his guide as they soared on a butterfly wing. and she gave him a message from heaven. >> you are loved. you are cherished. there's nothing you have to fear. there's nothing you can do wrong. >> reporter: a lot of people are going to say, doctor, it was a hallucination. >> i know this was not a hallucination. not a dream. not what w

death experience, eben alexander wrote down everything he could remember, 20,000 word, in detail, the young woman on a butterfly wing. and it wasn't until he saw the picture of his long dead sister that he realized it was her. terry moran, abc news, new york. >> interesting. you know, it's like that book "heaven is for real," which is written, the account of a young boy, 4, 5 years old, who went to heaven and saw things that relayed all of that information to his parents. things that he wouldn't have known, and they never told him. so also an interesting take. >> we need a little divine intervention here in the overnight show. >> i know where i am going. >> dear lord, please get us to the day side shift. >> please help rob. >> sometime soon, please, just one time. please, dear lord. day light. long nights of sleep. thank you so much. oh. >> the daylight. >> god's like, nah. [ laughter ] >> we'll be back after this, don't go far. pray for us, and her, please. >> mainly him. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations. >>> well, things may seem out of sorts